Select Local Merchants

Situated on 10 glorious acres, Gold Creek Equestrian Center's two barns house nearly 100 stalls—each comfortable quarters for private boarding and the horse haven's own 30 steeds, which are available for lessons. Outside on the 135'x240' sand arena, equestrians can conquer an Olympic PVC jump course or practice kicking up a sandstorm worthy of a John Wayne reenactment. Meanwhile, two indoor arenas host trotters as they rehearse dressage routines during the cooler months. Private and semiprivate lessons can be tailored to each student's age, skill level, and favored style of riding, including English and American Western flavors.

As one of the largest no-kill shelters in Washington, Homeward Pet Adoption Center helps find permanent, loving homes for more than 1,400 cats and dogs each year. Forty percent of its animals are owner surrendered, and sixty percent are rescues from shelters that euthanize. A range of rescue, shelter, and adoption programs help the small staff and more than 350 volunteers in their mission to give homeless and abandoned companion animals a second chance. Additionally, Homeward Pet’s onsite veterinary-care team spays or neuters all the animals that enter the shelter, along with providing a general health assessment, a microchip, and any necessary treatments or vaccinations.
Homeward Pet also extends help to animals in the community with owners in need of financial assistance. In 2012, Homeward Pet’s low-cost clinic spayed or neutered more than 500 pets, and its pet-food bank collected and distributed more than 40,000 pounds of pet food to local families struggling to feed their animals. It also offers year-round discount microchipping and free microchipping three times a year, to ensure the safety of pets in the community.
See how Groupon helps you discover local causes and lend a helping hand at the Groupon Grassroots blog.

There's much more to a Seattle Walk Star experience than walking. Canines are given the opportunity to run, play, or even swim—all in the pursuit of tiring out even the most high-energy pooches. Adventures vary greatly depending on the location, the number of dogs, and their combined knowledge of local plant life. An insured walker can be solicited for a one-time jaunt or routine walks on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis.

Spay and neuter surgeries change the lives of free-roaming cats. For females, it means a lower risk of infections and pregnancy complications; for males, less fighting and fewer health problems. When the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project started in 1997, the mission was to spay and neuter as many free-roaming cats as possible, helping reduce overpopulation and the need for euthanasia deaths in community shelters.
Today, the organization has expanded its work to include all cats, including those with homes. When a cat arrives for surgery, it also receives a basic health exam, rabies vaccination, and, for free-roaming cats, an ear tip to identify it as spayed or neutered. Since its inception, the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project has performed the surgery on more than 82,000 cats. The organization collaborates with other like-minded groups and individuals striving to care for animals in a safe, humane environment.

Pet owners consider their animals a part of their family, and the veterinarians at Redmond-Kirkland & Redmond-Fall City Animal Hospitals treat them as such. The American Animal Hospital Association–accredited hospitals possess medical technology that you won't find at many vet's offices—their CO2 laser lets the vets perform delicate surgeries with minimal bleeding and pain, digital dental x-rays help them detect tooth decay, and cancer therapy helps ailing pets fight unfortunate conditions. Their specialties don't end with cats and dogs, as the medical professionals also provide care to other creatures ranging from guinea pigs and rabbits to birds and reptiles.

As pet owners themselves, Pam and Bob Bennett of In Home Pet Care make sure each of their client's furry friends is matched with the perfect petsitter. In fact, they handpick each staff member themselves, so that they can pair the sitter's strengths with pets who will benefit. The sitters come straight to homes—or hotels—for 30 or 60 minutes, sometimes even staying overnight, to ensure pets are fed, medicated, walked, and played with. They'll also grab your paper and mail, put out and take in the trash, and flick lights on or off to avert potential intruders.